Navajo Trails Adventure Summer Camp

A fun simple art activity with supplies you may already have around the house: 

Supplies:
knife
potato
pencil
spoon
tempra paints and brush
paper
Technique
1. With the help of an adult, cut a potato in half, with a pencil, draw a simple geometric shape, letter, or any created design on the sliced portion of the potato.

2. With the spoon, scrape away the part of the potato that is not part of the shape. The shape will be raised; the background will be cut and scraped away.

3. Paint any color on the remaining raised shape. Then, firmly press the potato on the paper to make a print. Make several prints before repainting. Each print will be lighter than the first.

4. Shading Step: With the spoon or other digging utensil, scoop away a little more of the remaining shape. Paint a different color on the potato shape and press the potato on the prints already made. Try to print exactly on the area of the first print. This will produce the look of dual colored shading. Continue this method to make more shaded prints or additional prints.

Variations:
Explore making prints with other objects from around the house, such as these suggestions:
bar of soap
carrot
block
nuts and bolts
eraser on a pencil
crumpled foil